TopNews

The DAT North American Freight Index reports a softer spot market in September. The seasonal decline in overall freight volume was attributed to a reduction in flatbed and reefer freight availability.
Both equipment types experienced a decline month-over-month. However, while flatbed volumes were down compared to the prior year by 13%, reefer freight volumes rose by 1.1% when compared with September 2011.

The amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry fell 0.6% in August from July, declining after a one-month rise.
This information is according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics' Freight Transportation Services Index

Accuride Corp. is cutting staff and production due to to soft Class 8 truck orders and a loss of standard equipment position at Navistar and Paccar.
Class 8 truck orders continue to be weak and have led to rapidly declining build schedules at Accuride's major OEM customers.

The North American Council for Freight Efficiency has been awarded a project to study and understand how technology adoption works to improve freight efficiency in North American Class 7 and 8 tractor-trailer operations.
The International Council on Clean Transportation is sponsoring the study

LAS VEGAS - At least one industry analyst has predicted the driver shortage could reach 500,000 by sometime net year. The American Trucking Associations recently reported that driver turnover at large truckload fleets is now at 106%, the highest level since early 2007. What's driving this shortage, and what can be done about it

LAS VEGAS - Michael S. Card, president of Combined Transport Inc., Central Point, Ore., has been named the American Trucking Associations' 68th chairman.
"Regardless of who's going to be elected, we're going to have lot of fights on our hands this year, a lot of rulemaking coming down the pike," Card told journalists shortly after the announcement

Less-than-truckload giant ABF Freight System and the Teamsters National Freight Industry Negotiating Committee announced that they expect to begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement on Dec. 18.
TNFINC is the negotiating arm of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. ABF is the largest subsidiary of Arkansas Best Corp. and was founded in 1923.

LAS VEGAS - American Trucking Associations announced the winners of the sixth annual Mike Russell "Good Stuff" Trucking Image Awards, honoring three organizations for their efforts to generate positive awareness of the trucking industry's essential role in the economy and dedication to safety

LAS VEGAS - Seeing disturbing indications that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may plan to address the issue of sleep apnea among truck drivers with a "guidance" rather than a rulemaking, the American Trucking Associations has a new policy position that will allow its staff to work to convince agency leaders that a formal rulemaking process is necessary

China's GDP decelerated more than expected in the second quarter of 2012, according to the most recent China Commercial Vehicle Outlook, jointly published quarterly by ACT and China's State Information Center

LAS VEGAS - A panel discussion on the economy indicated that the economy and trucking will continue to see slow but steady growth of around 2% GDP through 2013, barring something like a total financial crisis in the Eurozone or the unlikely aspect of Congress driving the country over the "financial cliff" looming at the end of the year

LAS VEGAS - American Trucking Associations acknowledged some of the industry's finest performances during the federation's annual Management Conference and Exhibition to recognize the winners of several of the industry's most important honors